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There is absolutely no reason to read those contracts any more. As Louis Rossman keeps pointing out, most of them now include the ability for them to change ter
by imglorp 26d ago
There is absolutely no reason to read those contracts any more. As Louis Rossman keeps pointing out, most of them now include the ability for them to change terms at any time. That's basically the null contract.
Since the legal system has once again failed to protect users from corporations, it's up to users to use technical means for self defense.
- airstrike 26d agoInterestingly, in Brazil and I'm sure in some other legislations, those contracts are essentially void because there's a presumption the average person does not have the time, patience, or ability to understand every clause—so they are by definition unable to agree to their terms. I'd love to have a similar standard applied in the US but I'm not holding my breath.
- DaSHacka 26d agoAt the very least, you can be sure they'll never change the terms of the agreement to be more beneficial for you, though. So just treat it as a best case scenario, knowing that it can get even worse.
- pnt12 26d agoJust assume the worse then, save yourself some time.
- DaSHacka 26d agoWell yeah, that's kinda the idea, but sometimes it's nice to know what 'the worst' will entail
- georgemcbay 26d agoAt this point every EULA or TOS change should begin with the heading: We Are Altering The Deal. Pray We Don't Alter It Any Further
- imglorp 26d agoPS, my technical means are keeping my TV off the internet.
- sandworm101 26d agoWhich doesnt work. LG tvs will scan for availible networks. Someone setting up a new router within range briefly disables encryption and "your" tv will jump on that network and transmit all the stored data. It is tinfoil hats time, at least for LG tvs.
- c22 26d agoGive it a network, but don't allow that network to access the internet.
- kwarcode 26d agoIf it can't phone home, it's not connected. A technical solution would presumably spoof the spaff but with E2EE and DoH is it possible? So then what, hacking firmware? I guess then TVs get a hard lifespan limit.
- switchbak 26d agoI guess you could remove the wifi antenna, or otherwise brick the wifi reception ability (faraday cage, lead block, etc). Or - just boycott LG. I'll never buy any of that corporate espionage nonsense, ever. Also: the US intelligence agencies used Echelon ages ago to monitor what vast swaths of innocent people were up to. I think it's sensible to presume they've got their hooks into these devices too.
- kolinko 26d agoDepends on jurisdiction, just because someone wrote something in a contract doesn’t mean it’s binding. In Poland/EU we have an (ever growing) list of forbidden clauses that even when written and signed by consumer are null and void. And I think these can be enacted retroactively - when corporations invent new shady clauses, government steps in and tells them these are invalid. This helps to even out the consumer-corporation field.
- hatefulheart 26d agoThat’s great! Because then you’re left with the simple task of raising it up with the government.
- layer8 26d agoIt’s actually the judiciary you’d bring it up with, I believe.
- soraminazuki 26d agoThe judiciary is a branch of government. But more crucially, some countries have better consumer protection agencies, eliminating the need for people to go through costly court battles for common sense stuff.
- kolinko 22d agoExecutive branch in Poland and I guess the rest of Europe as well. Bureau for Consumer Affairs. They make decisions, give penalties to corps and invalidate harmful ToS. Then if a corporation doesn’t like it (and they never do), they can appeal in court. E.g. PayPal is appealing rn because their shitty ToS were invalidated last year and they were punished for them.
- kolinko 22d agoThere are governments with working institutions believe or not. Also, I just read up and in our legal system a nonindividual agreement is nonbinding if “it is drastically against the consumer’s interests or against ‘good manners’”, with free legal help for consumers affected. E.g. last year PayPal was forbidden from giving out bans and suspensions of user accounts based on vague and overly broad rationales. They were also charged $25M for that, but that’s peanuts. If you think about, a good government has institutions where there are people whose full time job is to look at hands of corporations and listen to citizens. I know this may sound like sci-fi if you don’t live in a country like that.
- oh_my_goodness 26d ago>There is absolutely no reason to read those contracts any more For another perspective, check out the comment you're replying to.